Safety signal for electric flatirons



Ma 28; 1929. Q ANDERSON 1,714,937

SAFETY SIGNAL FOR ELECTRIC FLATIRONS Filed June 27, 1928 0770 ANOA'RSON.

//1 ven tor 4 ttorngz PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO ANDERSON, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

I SAFETY SIGNAL FOR ELECTRIC FLATIBONS.

Application filed June 27, 1928. Serial No. 288,594.

My invention in general belongs to those embraced in signals for electric apparatus I as a class.

The object of my invention is particularly to provide an audible safety signal for electric flat-irons. I have arranged therein a lever beneath the handle of the iron so that when both are grasped the lever operates a circuit breaker. in the signal connections and cuts out the signal apparatus while the iron is in use, and .upon the iron being placed in horizontal position and the lever released the latter is sprung outwardly, closing the signal circuit and allowing a bell of said apparatus to ring its warning. There is also a leg extending from one terminal of the signal circuit breaker rearwardly, its free end being in the same plane as that of the supporting leg of the iron, or-its heating power circuit breaker,'asthe case may be, when the iron is placed in an upright position. Upon the free endof the leg engaging a surface in this same plane the leg presses the signal circuit breaker open and cuts off the bell so it will cease ringing while the iron is not in use. I

' attain these objects, as well as other advan tages, by the construction, combination and arrangement of parts ill ustrated 1n the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof.

Fig. I is a side elevation of an electric flatiron with my device therein, and of signal bell and connections therefor and for heating power, the signal circuit breaker being closed.

Fig. II is a side elevation of such an iron in upright position, the leg being shown as it o ens the signal circuit breaker to cut out the hell.

Like characters refer to like parts in both figures. v r

In the figures an electric fiat-iron of any common or convenient type is shown, usually having, an automatic heating power circuit breaker, operating when the iron is placed in upright position. My invention is an auxiliary improvement by way of an audible safety signal for any iron of such type. In the handle 1 of the iron there is a lever 2,

' pivotally mounted near its rear end on the ivot'3. The lever 2 extends forwardly beibw the handle 1 and its free end is retained apart'from the handle by a spring 4, rigidly secured to the lever 2 and slidingly engaging the lower surface of the handle 1, as shown in Fig. I. An integral arm 5 extends downwardly from the rear end of the lever 2, this arm being one terminal of the signal circuit at its breaker. An integral'leg 6 extends rearwardly from the arm 5, its free end being about in the same plane as the outward end of the supporting leg 7 of the iron, when the latter is in horizontal position. Preferably the free end of the leg 6 is provided with a small castor 8 which may engage the same surface as does the leg 7 of the iron when the latter is upright.- In the rear part of the han dle frame of the iron is the opposing terminal arm 9 of the signal circuit breaker. The arm 9 is rigidly placed, its free end being positioned where the terminalarm, 5 ma be pressed into contact with it or released t ierefrom. Connecting wires 10 and 11 extend respectively from terminal arms 5 and 9 to terminals 12 and 13, adapted to engage the signal service plugs 12 and 13. The plugs have connecting wires extending to a transformer 14 and magnet bell 15, properly arranged to allow the bell to be operated with current from the usual house service terminals. The transformer and bell are shown secured upon a board 16 which may be portable-to allow the iron with its signal apparatus to be carried about, or the board may: be rigidly secured to the ceiling, wall or other I make the plug 22 integral with the plugs c 1 12 and 13, properly insulated from ea other, and enterlng separate sockets, also separated by insulation. This construction is so apparent and easily understood from the illustrations that detail figures are deemed unnecessary. Y

I am aware that there are other safety warningsignals for such irons, but so far as I know none gives an audible signal. It will be observed that the operation of my device is very simple; The plugs for heating and signalling which enter the iron are connected for convenience of the operator in making one insertion only of wire'conne'ctions at the iron. The transformer and hell are placed on a base board sov that the whole apparatus may be portable. It will now be seen that when the plu s are inserted in the iron the heating and signal circuits become operative as shown. It is tfluite apparent that upon grasping the iron iandle the lever below is pressed against it and the breaker below opens in the signal circuit and cuts off the bell. If the iron is placed upright, the rear leg 6 engages the surface below, presses the arm 5 outwardly, breaks the same circuit and cuts off the bell. It is well known that many destructive fires have been occasioned by leaving an iron upon an ironing board unattended. In such cases a silent visible signal is insufiicient. In the first place the operator knows that the current should be immediately thrown off the resistance coil in some manner if he leaves the iron in horizontal position. The addition of a signal light simply tells him the'same, but ceases to do so when his back is turned to the apparatus. The human element, always present, causes him to turn to other things, the iron is forgotten and the fire danger follows. With my device the bell begins to ring the moment the iron is left in unsafe position and continues to ring as a constant reminder-of danger until the iron is attended to. Thus the operator may go to other duties at some distance but the sound of the bell extends about to alarm anyone within considerable range that there is danger from the iron.

Iclaim: i

1. In an apparatus of the kind described the combination of; an electric flat-iron of common type having two signal service terminal connections, a lever pivotally positioned at one end thereof below and in the rear part of the handle of the iron, the free end of the lever'extending along the handle forwardly thereof, a spring rigidly secured to the lever in position to slidably engage the un-' der surface of said handle and retain the lever apart therefrom, an integral electric circuit breaking arm extending from said lever,'1ts free end posltioned to engage an opposing ter- 7 minal of the same circuit, and connections extending from the lever arm and from its opposing terminal respectively to said signal the combination of; an electric flat-ironlof common type having two signal service terservice terminals.

2. In an apparatus of the kind described minal connections, a lever pivotally positioned at one end thereof below'and in the v rear part of the handle of the iron, the free end of the lever extending along the handle forwardly thereof, a spring rigidly secured to f the lever in position to slidably engage the unretain the lever der surface of said handle and "apart therefrom, an integral electric circuit breaking arm extending from said lever, its

free end positioned to engage an opposing terminal of the same circuit, an integral leg extending rearwardly from the circuit breaking .1 the signal circuit arm to a convenient plane to the rear of the flat-iron and adapted to move the arm to a circuit breaking position, and connections extending from the lever arm and from its opposing terminal respectively to said signal service terminals.

3. In an apparatus of -the kind described the combination of; an electric flat-iron of common type having two signal servlce termlnal connections, a lever plvotally positioned at one end thereof below and in the rear 5 part of the handle of the iron, the free end of the lever extending along the handle forwardly thereof, a spring rigidly secured to the lever 1n position to slidably engage the under surface of said handle-and retain the lever apart therefrom, an integral electric circuit free end positioned to engage an opposing terminal of the samecircuit, connections ex tending from the lever arm and from its opbreaking arm extending from said lever, its

posing .terminal respectively to said signal service terminals, and an electrically actuated circuit thus lever. v. r v .e '4. In an apparatus of the kind described the combination of an electric flat-iron of endofthe lever extending along the handle tending from the lever arm and from its opposing terminal respectively to said signal service terminals, and an electrically actuated 95, common type having two signal service terminal connections, a lever pivotally posi- I tioned at-one end thereof below and in the rear part of the handle of the iron, the free g. forwardly thereof, a spring rigidly secured to the lever in position to slidably engage the under surface of'said handle and retain the lever apart ther'efrom,-an integral electric circuit I .:-v breaking arm extending fromsaid lever, its 'free end positioned to engage an opposing. terminal of the same circuit, connections ex- 1 v apparatus arranged to produce audible signals, having connections therefrom with terminal Plugs integral with and insulated from I 2 plugs joined to heating service connect-ions adapted to engage terminals adjoining and insulated from the signal service terminals to allow bothsets of plugs to be simultaneously inserted in their respective receiving sockets, in the H01], so that when so connected, the C11- -,'cuit breaker may be operated to open or close" thus provided to and from the said let err;

, {OTTQV'ANDERSQ 

